As the weather starts to improve, now is the time to review the state of our homes and properties ahead of the spring and summer months.

A badly maintained home will not work up to its full design specification or be energy-efficient and by investing a little money on property maintenance, you can potentially save many hundreds – and possibly thousands – of pounds in the long run.

To aid you, David Murphy, general manager at The National Self Build & Renovation Centre (NSBRC), has compiled a list of his 15 top home health check tips:

1. Do you understand how much your house costs to run – how much gas, electricity and water you use? If you don’t understand how your building works, it is difficult to make it work more cost effectively.

2. Get your insulation right. Look to insulate lofts and under floor voids, but remember not to block or impede ventilation in those areas, as this can also lead to problems.

3. Install efficient heating system and controls – Design your heating system around how you use your home and make the controls as user-friendly as possible.